Storage battery.



PATENTBD MAY?, 1907.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

E. SOKAL. STORAGE BATTERY.

APPLIOATION FILED 11m14.190s.

lef

PATENTED MAY '7, 1907.

B. SOKAL.

STORAGE BATTERY.

APPLICATION FILED MAM, 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

jay

PATENTBD MAY 7, 1907.

E. SOKAL. STORAGE BATTERY.' l APPLIGATIONTILBD MAY 4, 190s.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

VIA

- fyllllllillllg L im 1,/ /J lf l \l n M L/flv UNITED STATES PATENTOEEICE.

EDWARD SOKAL, OE RINGIIAMTON, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR or ONE-THIRD To SIGMUNDRLOOMEIELD, OE ELKIIART LAKE, WISCONSIN, AND ONE-- TWELFTII To SICMUNDB. WOLEA AND ONE-TWELETII To CIIARLES WOLFE, 'OE CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

STORAGE BATTERY- No. 852,464. specification of Letters Patent; rammedMaya-1907.'

Appliation filed May A, 190s. serial No. 315,130.

To all whom it may concern: rise in the surrounding electrolyte, whichlat- Be itknown that I, EDWARD SOKAL, a cititer drop and rise are ofconsiderable imporzen of Austria, residing at Binghamton, in tanceinasmuch`as the quantlty of electro- -f' the county of Broome and StateotNew lyte, particularly in traction batteries must 55 Yo'rk, haveinvented new and useful Im- .beke twithin close limits. Itis also knownprovements in Stora e Batteries, of which that t 1e drop ofconcentration of the electrothe following is aspecication. I lyte whiledischarging causes a drop of the This invention relates moreparticularly to electromotive force ofthe battery and consestoragebatteries and has for its object to quently limits the availablecapacity andin- 6o Io keep the concentration of the electrolyte increases the losses of electrical'energyin the the pores of the electrodeor plate practically operation of the storage battery, 'While theconstant in all stages of charge and discharge rise of concentration ofthe electrolyte during of the battery, even at very various rates ofcharging increases the counterelectro-motive .charge and dischargewhereby the'capacity force of the battery and conseriluently also.65 ofthe storage battery for a given amount of increases the losses ofelectrica ener y, lead or active material is considerably inother words,diminishes the ampere an watt creased. Furthermore the capacityit higheiiciency of the storage'battery. All these., rates of discharge byAthis means is nearly evils are particularly aggravatedwhenchargequal tothe capacity at low rates oi'dis'- ing or dlschargin at high rates, atwhich 7o zo charge the ampere and Watt efficiency ofthe time the natural'ffusion is still less able to battery is considerablyimproved, thedurakeep pace with the electrochemical action'.

bility ofl the negative electrode in lead stor- Interesting fact, whichcorroborates these age batteries is increased and theweight of`statements and is known to every eX ert in the storage-battery isconsiderably reduced. storage batteries, is that batteries whic have 752 5 This invention is applicable to stationary been discharged at a highrate to' the full batteries as well as the traction batteries limit oftheir capacity, are able to recover usedin electric carriages, sparkers,electric and Show a higher -voltage and uite' an apboats, street-carsetc. That at the discharge preciable remaining capacity a er resting ofa storage battery the concentration ofthe ora certain len th of time andafter the dif- 8o 3o electrolyte drops in thepores of the'electrodesVfusion of the' e ectrolyte has had time lto proportionally to the rateof discharge and raise its concentration inthe pores-of the eleothat atthe charge ofthe same the concentratrode. y tion of the electrolyterises in the pores of A further disadvantage in lead storage electrodesproportionally to the rate vof batteries of the changes of concentrationof 85 charge, may be regarded as a fact scientiiicelectrolyte in thismanner is that owing to ally established. This drop and rise of con- Ylead belng much more soluble in dilute and centration, which can beusually 'measured concentrated electrolyte than in the-electroin theelectrolyte surrounding the electrodes, lyte of the density which isoriginally used in is obviously greatest in the pores of the elecstoragebattery operation, the change of con- 9o 4o trodes, it having beenproven that a considercentration favors the dissolution of the activeable surplus of surrounding electrolyte canmaterial of the ,negativeelectrode (spongy not prevent the dro and rise of concentralead) and itssubsequent de osition in a tion in the pores of t e electrodes, wherethe form, which is not porous an' electrochemchemical reaction takesplace. The equaliically inert. 95 zation of this difference ofconcentration My invention,l which does away .With-all takes place inthe present storage batteries the diiculties and disadvantagesmentioned` owing to the natural tendency and force of above,in'lead-storage batteries and any other diffusion. The knowledge of'storage vbatstorage battery in .which concentrationof the teries up tothe present has been insufficient electrolyte or electrolytic'ionsduringcharge lroo to keep the drop and rise of concentration or dischargehasabearingonitsgoperation, anywhere witnin the limits of the dropandconsists in maintaining a practically l,uniform concentration of theelectrolyte in all stages ing or forcing the Aelectrolyte through thevelectrodes: durin char ing and discharging. The drivin foro whic pushesthe electrolyte throug the electrodes may be either machine pressurecontrolled manually or by automatic means, or 'natural gravity canbeused alone. vI find it to be sufficient and preferable touse the naturalgravity, which of course, may, in my device be replaced'or asl sisted bymachine pressure. In order to obtain this edect, the so called "Faure orpasted, electrodes or in non-lead batteries, vsimilarly constructedporous electrodes which are porous and permit the passage of theelectrolyte through the body of the electrode, are used and they arearranged in a manner -that a difference of the level of the electrolytesimply according to the laws ofravity drives the electrolyte and makesit ow continuously through the electrode While in operation in charge ordischarge, lthis difference of level being kept constant by means of asiphon, pump or other means. I have found that lin this way theavailable capacity of the electrodes is more than doubled for a givenamount of active material, that the. capacity can be kept about the samefor very different rates of discharge by increasi the difference oflevel and conse qllliiently t 1e rapidity of flow of the electrolyte tough the electrode according to the rate of discharge, that the ampereand `watt eili- "ciency of any storage battery in which con-l centrationof electrolyte or electrolytic ions during charge or discharge has abearing on its operation, is considerably improved, that 'the negativeelectrode maintains its capacity for a much greater time of service andthat, finally, due to the increase of capacity, only about halfy of theweight of the present storf age-battery is needed, in order to obtain acermade hollow and porous. fzontal section of the last mentioned containcapacity. Although-n stationary batteries the saving of lead or activematerial only results in a reduction of cost, in the case oftraction-batteries the item of the diminution of thc weight is ofparamount importance.

.In the accompanying drawings consisting ofthree sheets: Figure 1 is asectional elevation of a storage battery embodying my invention in itspreferred form. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the same. Fig. 3 is asectional elevation showing a modified construction of my invention.Fig. 4 is a horizontal section thereof. Figs. 5 and 6 are sectionalelevations showing further modifications of my invention.. Fig. 7 is asectional elevation showing a vstorage battery constructed in accordancewith my invention and having both electrodes of its elements Fig. 8 is ahoristruction.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, A represents a' jar, tank o'r vessel ofglass, lead or any other suitable. material.A vB represents the negativeelectrodes and C the positive electrodes -which are arranged in the jarand which may be connected in series or in parallel. Theseelectrodes'may be supported in any suitable manner in the jar. If thelatter is made of glass or similar material the electrodes may restdirectly on the jar but if the same is made-of lead means for insulatingthe jar and y electrodes must be lprovided in any kwell known manner. Asshown in Figs. 1 and 2 the negative electrodes consist of the usualvertical plates which are adapted to be coated with spongy lead and'alternate with the positive electrodes. is preferably constructed inthe form of a hollow skeleton frame or grid of any suitable shape thatshown vin the drawings, for example having o enings b in its walls whichcontain fillings d) of lead peroxid. The space within the hollowelectrodes as well as the space in the jar which surrounds the positiveand negative electrodes is lled with the electrolyte e. The level of theelectrolyte on the inner side of the hollow electrode is higher thanthat onV the outer side thereof so that the force of gravity will havethe eect of pushing or forcing the electrolyte from the inside of thehollow electrode outwardly through the porous fillings d thereof intolthe space of the jar around the outside of the hollow electrode.

During charging of the storage battery' Each of the latter IOO IIO

during charging of the battery whilea constant enrichingof theelectrolyte occurs in the pores while discharging the battery, therebymaintaining the degree of concentration uniform at all times throughoutthe entire electrolyte.

In order to com ensate for the outflow of l electrolyte from t e hollowelectrodes and maintain the level in the same higher than in the jar,means are provided for withdrawing thek electrolyte from the jar andreturning the same to the'hollow electrode. Instead of returning theelectrolyte immediately from the jar and around the hollow electrode tothe inside of the latter it is also desirable to' first lift theelectrolyte from the jar into an elevated reservoir or supply tank fromwhich the s'fme is delivered to the hollow electrode. Various means maybe employed for accomplishing this purpose. As shown in F ig, 31,' asupply reservoir or tank F is arranged at ahigher elevation than the jarand electrodes and the hollow electrodes are connected with thereservoir by a supply pipe or conduit f of rubber or other suitablematerial connected at -one end with the lower part of the reservoirwhile its other end is connected with the upper ends of the hollowelectrodes. The connection between the supply trolyte extends from theinside of the hollow electrodes upwardly through the supply conduit' andinto the reservoir and iinds its level in the latter.

G, represents a return pipe or conduit extending from the jar outside ofthe hollow electrode tothe top of the reservoir. H represents areciprocating pump arranged in the return pipe and operating to lift orelevate the electrolyte from the jar into the reservoir. This pump `maybe" operated in any Suitable manner for maintaining the re,- quireddifferential in levels of the electrolyte in the jar and hollowelectrodes. Vhen installed on az vehicle vpropelled by storage batteriesthe pump H may be connected with a suitable moving part of the drivingmechanism.

The low of the electrolyte through the electrodes should be lregulatedso thatthe variations in the concentrationof the electrolyte duringcharge and discharge are balanced and pace is .kept with theelectrochemical action in the pores of the electrodes. This may beeected either -by varying the speed of the pump H, or by means ofregulating valves Aplaced in the supply pipe f and the return pipeG.

yObviously the negative electrodes may be made hollow and filled with anelectrolyte instead of the positive electrodes or both positive andnegative electrodes of a battery may p be made hollow and iilled withelectrolyte, the changes of concentration being practically the same inboth electrodes of an element. Ifdesired the battery may be organizedthat thelevel of the electrolyte is higher in the jar than in the hollowelectrode in which casev the electrolyte would be pushed or forced by'gravity from the j ar through the pores of and into the inside of thehollow electrode the movementof the electrolyte being reversed or in theopposite direction to that' described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2.

AA storage battery embodying my invention .'and having' both electrodesof each` element made hollow and supplied with electrolyte so that thesame ilows through the porkous electrodes from the outside thereof isvconduit and the hollow electrodes and reser- I voir is tightso that thecolumn of liquid. elecycompartments receive the electrolyte.

shown in Figs. 7 and 8. In these views Bl represents hollow negativeelectrodes each having its walls constructed in the form of skeletonframes or grids which contain porous spongy lead fillings b1 and C1represents hollow lpositive electrodes each having its wallslconstructed in the form' ot' skeleton frames or grids containing porouslead per oXid llings d1.

H1 represents a pump having its inlet connected by -branch pipes G1 withthe spaces within the electrodes for withdrawing the electrolytetherefrom and f1 a return pipe whereby the electrolyte is conducted fromthe outlet of the pump back into the jar A1 which contains theelectrodes. As shown in Fig. 'fthe top of the battery jar A1 is closedso that a tight connection is produced between the jar A1 and the pumpH1 whereby the latt-er is caused to force the electrolyte through theelectrodes bymechanical pressure regardless of the difference in levelsof the elec trolyte on the inner and outersides of the electrodes.

Instead of constructing one or bothy of the electrodes of each elementhollow for the pur- Dose of permitting different levels of electrolyteto be established relatively thereto the same effect may be produced byconstructing the negative and positive electrodes I, I1 in the form ofporous plates which are arranged vertically in a longitudinal rowin the.jar J and iitted tightly at their lower and side edges against thebottom and side walls ofthe jar so that they form partit-ions whichdivide the ico jar into a plurality of compartments or chambers, asshown in Figs. 3 and 4. The electrolyte in these compartments issuccessively lower from the compartment at one end of the series toth'ecompartment at the 105 other end of the series so'that theelectrolyte flows from one compartment through the interveningporouselectrodes and into the next compartment in which the electrolytevis ot' a lower level. From the compartment of 11o lowest level theelectrolyte may be returned tothe compartment of the highest level byany suitable means, for instance as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, by means ofa return conduit J1 containing a rotary pump In Fig. 5 a construction isshown in which the porous electrodes K are arranged hori- Zontally oneabove the other in a jar L and separated from each other by frames orrims Z forming liquid tight compartments between I 2o the severalelectrodes and an open compartment above the uppermost electrode whichThe latter Flows by gravity from each compartment through its electrodeinto the compart- 1 2 5 ment next below and finally discharges into thejar L from which it is again returned to the uppermost compartment by aconduit )l containing a bulb pump m or by other suitable means.

posts 0, as shown in F ig. 6.

If desired several horizontal electrodes N may be provided withupwardlyprojecting rims 'n forming trays and be supported one above theother within a jar or pan Ovby means of intervening insulating disks ory In this view the means shown for elevating the electrolyte from thejar into the ,top tray consist of a return pipe or conduit P containinga siphon or ejector p.

While my improvements may be embodied in a storage battery in which theelctrodes may be variously constructed, it is referable to construct thesame in the form o hollow or bottle-shaped chambers, as shown in Figs..1,

2, 7 and 8,1which are complete independent of the jar.r Thisconstruction permits of removing anyfone of the electrodes for inspec`tion, avoids the necessity of tight connections between lead or metaland insulating materials, allows the electrodes to be of uniform size,consequently results in saving of active material and avoids practicaldifficul-` ties presented in other forms of electrodes.

' ferencein level or pressure between'opposite` In all of the severalconstructions described the electrolyte is circulated as longas thedifsides of the porous electrode is maintained so that only a'comparatively small additional quantity of electrolyte in the supplyreservoir need be employed for maintaining a uni- Y form concentrationthroughout the electroyte.

It is understood that in all the forms of car rying out my invention theelectrodes may be separated oy porous diaphragms or partly or 'entirelycovered by I crous envelo s in any well known way without changing t eessential features of my invention.

By means of myiinvention it is possible to charge a storage battery at ahigh' rate or in a short timewithout excessive4 rise of the voltage andmy device' alsopermits of maintaining a high voltage during a high rateof discharge vwhich is impossible with storage batteries as heretoforeconstructed. Furthermore, lby l maintaining constantly a forced 'flow ofelectrolyte through the' pores of the electrode while the battery isbeing charged or discharged and keeping pace with the electro-chemicalaction within the pores ofthe electrode, a uniformity in the degree ofcon-l the same is circulated or pushed by Vgravity through the pores ofsaid electrode from one side thereof to the other, substantially as setforth. A

3. A storage battery comprising a porous storage battery electrode, andmeans operating to maintain a storage battery electrolyte at differentlevels on opposite sides of said electrode so that said` electrolyte ispushed through the pores of said electrode from that side of thesame onwhich the level of the electrolyte is high to the op osite .side of thesameA on which the level of t e electrolyte is low, substantially assetl forth.

4. A storage battery comprising a jar, a porous electrode constructed inthe form of ahollow or bottle-shaped chamber whichis independent of saidjar, and means operating to force the electrolyte through the vpores ofthe electrode and maintaining a constant l flow of the same from insideof the electrode to the interior of the jar or vice versa.

' 5. A storage battery com rising a porous storage battery electrode w`ch is arranged and constructed to divide a body of storage batteryelectrolyte so that the same cannot ,pass from one side of the electrodeto the, ,other except through the pores thereof, and

a transferring device operating to convey said electrolyte from that,side of thel electrode on which the electrolyte `leaves its pores tothat side of the electrode on which the electrolyte enters its pores,substantially as set forth.

6. 4A storagebattery comprising a hollow A porous storage lbatteryelectrode, and means for forcing a` storage battery electrolyte throughthe pores of said electrode and mainy taining a forcible circulationofthe electrolyte throu h the pores'of the electrode from one side o thelatter to the other7 substantially as set forth. -1 7. A storage batterycomprisingv porous electrode arranged in sai jar and constructed toseparate the electrolyte on oposite sides of the same so that theelectroyte von one side of the electrode 'may .be higher than on theother side, land means for transferring the electrolyte from the lowside of the electrode to the high side thereof, substantially as setforth. l

a jar, a

IIO

8. A storage battery comprisin a jar, a

porous electrode arranged in sai jar and constructed to separate theelectrolyte on oposite sides of thesame so that the electro'- yte. onone side of the electrode may be higher than on th'e'other side, aconduit ex-A tending frorn the jar on the low. side of the electrode tothe hi h sidev thereof, and an electrolyte lifting evice arranged insaid conduit, substantially as setforth.

' 9..A'storage battery c'mprising a hollow porous electrode, and meansfor maintaining the electrolyte on the inner and outer sides ofsaidelectrode at different elevations7 substantially as set forth. 1-

' conduit for delivering the electrolyte from 10. A storage batterycomprising a jar7 a hollow porous electrode arranged in said jar, anelevated electrolyte supply reservoir, a conduit for delivering theelectrolyte from said reservoir to the interior of said electrode, and aconduit for transferring the electrolyte from the jar outside of theelectrode to said reservoir, substantially as set forth.

11. A storage battery comprising a jar, a hollow porous electrodearranged in said jar, an elevated electrolyte supply reservoir, a

said reservoir to the interior of said electrode, a conduit fortransferring the electrolyte from the jar outside of the electrode tosaid reservoir, and an electrolyte lifting device arranged in the lastmentioned conduit, substantially as set forth.

12. A storage battery' comprising a jar, a hollow porous electrodearranged in said jar, an elevated electrolyte supply reservoir, and asupply conduit tightly connecting the in-l terior of said electrode withsaid reservoir so that the electrolyte in the electrode, supply conduitand reservoir forms one column or body the level ofiwhich is in thereservoir7 substantially as set forth.

13. A storage battery comprising a jar7 a hollow porous electrodearranged in said jar, an elevated electrolyte supply reservoir, a supplyconduit tightly connecting the interior of said electrode with saidreservoir so. v

that the electrolyte in the electrode, supply conduit and reservoirforms one column or I body the level of which isv in the reservoir, anda return conduit for transferring the electrolyte from the jar outsideof the electrede to said reservoir, substantially as set n forth.

14. A storage battery comprising a jar, a hollow porous electrodearranged in said jar, an elevated electrolyte supply reservoir, a supplyconduit tightly connecting the interior of said electrode with saidreservoir so that the electrolyte' in the electrode, supply conduit andreservoir forms one column or body the level of which is in thereservoir, a return conduit for transferring the electrolyte from thejar outside of the electrode to said reservoir, and an electrolytelifting or elevating device arranged in said return conduit.1

` 'means for transferring the electrolyte from the outside of saidhollow electrode to the means which supplies the inside thereof,substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand this 24th day of April,

v EDWARD SJOKAL. Witnesses:

JAMES N. BEAZLEY, M. L. DEYO

